He was born in Phenix City, Alabama, and began singing in nightclubs when in his teens.
He joined Chuck Willis as a backing singer in the 1950s, before joining forces with fellow singer Peggy Scott, who previously backed Ben E. King, in a duo.
The pair were heard and encouraged by record producer Huey Meaux,[1] and were recruited by Shelby Singleton's SSS International label in Nashville, Tennessee, in order to record duets.
They followed it up with "Pickin' Wild Mountain Berries", which was also a hit and for which they were nominated for a Grammy.
Benson later owned several nightclubs in the Chattahoochee Valley, and was seriously wounded in a shooting incident in 1979.